USG: A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO SERVING MILITARY AND VETERANS

David Snow, Ed.DUSG Director of Military Affairs

October 28, 2015

Overview • USG• Inside the numbers • USG Initiatives • Campus initiatives & Best Practices • Questions

2USG: SERVING OUR MILITARY, VETERANS, & THEIR FAMILIES

University System of Georgia

For information on all USG institutions please visit: http://www.usg.edu/inst/

WHY the University System of Georgia?

RECOGNIZABLE: USG institutions are well known in Georgia, the region, and nation. Many institutions have also earned global recognition and awards. Georgia only state with two of the USNews Top 20 publics. AFFORDABLE: Out-of-State Tuition is waived for active military, spouses, and children and also for those who separated within the last 36 months. Many fees waived for members of the armed forces utilizing service TA. The latter was put into action a year ago and helps to minimize out of pocket costs.

QUALITY: Regional accreditation is higher education’s “gold standard“. The VA website refers visitors to the FTC pamphlet and this is one of the “eight questions to ask” according to FTC. USG institutions are all accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). * Transferability/grad school

Distance Education OptionsGeorgia ONmyLINE provides access to a full array of online and distance education offerings. http://www.georgiaonmyline.org/

eCore (electronic core-curriculum) is a convenient and adaptable option for either getting started in college or resuming college after a break. The Core curriculum primarily consists of courses required during the first two years of college. Additional info available at: https://ecore.usg.edu/GVTC (Georgia Virtual Technical Connection) has on-line courses for most programs within TCSG. Keep up with industry standards with IT certifications, or knock out basic courses available from a host of colleges. http://www.gvtc.org/

eMajor provides undergraduate, online degrees through traditional, public institutions in the University System of Georgia. This innovative approach allows students to earn credits for prior learning and reduce time to graduation. The program is ideal for traditional students who wish to take advantage of online course delivery and also for working professionals, military members, transfer students and others seeking alternative routes to degree completion. https://emajor.usg.edu/

Inside The Numbers

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• 774,000 veterans • Over 110K active duty, Guardsmen, and Reservists • Large number of returning veterans

Califo

rnia

Texas

Florid

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Pennsylva

nia

New York

Virginia

Ohio

North Caro

lina

Georgia

Illinois

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000Active Duty Veterans

Inside The Numbers

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• Higher Education • Continued strong enrollment • USG and TCSG offer reputable, quality, and affordable education • Effective strategies aid enrollment, retention, and graduation*• Dave’s Theory: Veteran = Trifecta of Institutional Goals

• Students with a Global View and Perspective• Students that persist and graduate• Diverse student population

• Workforce Requirements• Technical, law enforcement, first responders, and medical fields• Troops to Truckers, Troops to Teachers, numerous trade skills• Engineering (w/ Security Clearance)

Inside The Numbers –Spring 15

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6,525 Veteran students utilizing GI Bill benefits 1,478 Eligible family members utilizing GI Bill benefits 1,256 Members of the National Guard/Reserves utilizing VA educational benefits 800+ Veteran student graduates for Spring 2015 26 Campuses with a dedicated veteran/military student space (ie. resource center/outreach center/ lounge) 26 Campuses with a Student Veterans organization (almost all SVA affiliated) 24 Veteran/military recognition at graduation (cord, stole, tassel, or uniform) 15 Institutions named “military friendly” by GI JOBS magazine 13 “Yellow Ribbon” participants with the Veterans Administration (VA) 9 Campuses with priority registration for veterans utilizing GI Bill 5 USG schools listed as “Best for Vets” by Military Times (only 140 schools nationwide selected) 3 Sessions conducted in 2014 (Adult Learning Consortium) mapping military training to academic credits 2 Tillman Scholars on USG campuses (Pat Tillman Foundation) 1 Number of states certified as Choice Act of 2014 compliant before Georgia

Why Veterans?

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• USG focus is on RPG. Credential = value added • Very small percentage are even eligible for military service (25%)• Experience and perspective adds greatly to campus & community• Global perspective • Persistence and graduation • Diversity ….military comes from all walks and less than 1% serve • Civic minded and sense of purpose

Initiatives

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USG & TCSG Initiatives

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• Access and Affordability• Base engagement and education fairs• RVTF• Collaboration and promoting state funded institutions• Affordability

• Public institutions• Many fees waived for military (Tuition Assistance)• Out-of State Waivers (36 months for vets & family) *• Online offerings (schools, eCore, GVTC, etc)

• Academic Credit• Collaboration among USG and TCSG institutions (ALC) • Core articulation agreement between TCSG and USG • Various other institution-to-institution articulations also in place • Dependent upon course of study and Joint Services Transcript • Prior Learning database projected Fall 2015

• 100% President’s Principles of Excellence for Veterans

• “Best for Vets 2015” 5/100 in USG, 3/25 in TCSG

USG AND TCSG MILITARY ACADEMIC TRAINING FACILITY

WARNER ROBINS, GA

• State-wide resource – centrally located

• Joint University System and Technical College System

ECD Spring 16

• One-Stop Shop for military, veterans and dependents (VSO)

• Financial Aid, VA certifying officials, Student Advisement, Counseling, Testing, etc.

• Recruiting/Job Fairs

Military Academic Training Center

Campus Veteran Centers

OVER 80% OF USG and ½ OF TCSG SCHOOLS HAVE A MILITARY/VETERANS CENTER !

CAMPUS INITIATIVES

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• Student Veteran Organization• Survey (USG) found to be #1A• As adult learners, can be challenging

• Priority Registration• 9… and counting

• Veterans Resource/Outreach Center• Need varies by institution• Survey (USG) found it to be #1B• 26 … and counting (27 next week)

Campus Initiatives

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• Orientation • Adult Learner or Vet specific• Slightly different focus• Navigating higher ed … provide them tools!

• Peer Mentor Programs • Student veteran/military centers• Veterans Day observations• Recognition at graduation • Awareness Programs

Campus Veteran Centers

OVER 80% OF USG and ½ OF TCSG SCHOOLS HAVE A MILITARY/VETERANS CENTER !

Graduation Recognition

Over 800 GI Bill student veterans graduated Spring 2015 !

USG: QUALITY, RESPECTED, AND RECOGNIZED EDUCATION TO BRING YOU UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITIES!

Serving Those Who Served Us

QUESTIONS?

David R Snow david.snow@usg.edu 404-576-3439